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Explore the Publishing Industry Revolution at the O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference

Sebastopol, CA--Just a few years ago, publishers could see that deep,
tech-driven industry changes were around the corner. Today, technology is
fundamentally transforming publishing, with shifts taking place so rapidly
that it's challenging to keep current, let alone create new, profitable
opportunities. To raise the level of technology knowledge in the
publishing industry and to provide a meeting ground for those leading the
charge into the future of publishing, O'Reilly Media is launching the
first Tools of Change for Publishing (TOC) Conference. The TOC Conference
will take place June 18-20, 2007 in San Jose, California. The call for
participation is now open; proposals are due no later than January 22,
2007.

As a media company closely connected with the leading innovators in
technology, O’Reilly is in a unique position to recognize new trends in
publishing and identify models that are emerging in the next generation of
publishing products and services. The TOC Conference will provide
critically important analysis, hands-on workshops, illuminating on-stage
conversations, thought-provoking sessions, and a place to connect with
others in the industry facing similar challenges.

O'Reilly editor and conference program chair Sarah Milstein is seeking
proposals from publishers, editors, authors, marketing and production
managers, publishing consultants, technology providers, and other
interested parties to lead tutorials and sessions at the TOC Conference.
Milstein and her committee are looking for presentations that inspire bold
ideas for the future of publishing and/or offer practical lessons in
incorporating technology into publishing processes. Some specific areas of
interest include:

New business models for publishers

Case studies of successful new publishing initiatives

Why and how to digitize content/backlist, and what to do with it once
it's digitized

Tools and challenges in an efficient all-digital workflow

Best practices for working with Amazon, Google, Ingram, and other big
players

Creative web-based marketing strategies, including SEO

Best new practices and tools for working with and supporting authors

How to capture and analyze web metrics

Systems and devices for displaying digital copy

Business models for delivering and/or receiving material via new devices

Emerging supply chain models

Innovative DRM models

Best practices for experimenting with new business models while keeping
existing models profitable

"Technology often impacts society in unexpected ways," notes Tim O'Reilly,
founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media. "We're at the cusp of a deep shift in
how we make--and consume--content, and need to understand the scope of
this profound change. Building the next generation of publishing
technology won't be easy, and will require everyone involved to learn new
skills to operate the tools for building the future."

It's an unsettling era in the publishing industry, but this tidal wave of
change presents the opportunity to influence and profit from new models
for creating, distributing, and selling information. The TOC Conference
will provide a collaborative, energizing environment to explore new
publishing opportunities. Shape the future of publishing at the first
O'Reilly Tools of Change for Publishing Conference.

About O'Reilly

O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.